Hurting
by OldKiaraAdachi
Summary: Kiara is a shinobi, whom lives with her father outside of Kiri. One night though, he gets angry, and in a mad rage, hurts Kiara. She then turns to the only person that would help her, Haku. But can Haku save her from her greatest enemy, herself? HakuxOC
1. Chapter 1

Hurting

By: Kiara Adachi

Chapter 1: -title here-

OK, I don't really feel like putting up the prologe to this, because I'm kinda still editing it. This goes somewhat along with my other stories about me and Haku, but has a more realistic twist to it, and I am writing this from my own point, where I really am in life. Haku is alive, for I did revive him, but the past of us, like in my other story "Haku's Revival" the past in which we met is different... I guess the only real difference is that I still live with my dad, insted of on my own...

A cool, crisp breeze blew through the spring night. A full moon was high within the sky, surrounded my the uncountible stars. A small house sat within a dense forest, a few miles outside of the main village of Kiri. The lights in the house were on, and it should be a peacful scene. But the peace was broken by a loud yell...

"What do you mean you threw out the rest of dinner!" A loud man's voice called. "I was going to eat that!" The voice sounded extremely mad.

"Dad... you said you were done eating, and that you were going to bed." A small, female voice said, shaking. "So I threw it out, it was cold an--"

"I SAID I WAS GOING TO LIE DOWN, AND EAT IT LATER!" the voice came again.

"I'm sorry... I'll.. just give me a little while, I'll cook something else..."

"I don't want anything else! That was the last fish we have here!"

"Then I'll go catch some more.."  
"I DON'T WANT TO WAIT THAT LONG, I AM STARVED!"

"Dad.. calm down."

The girl's voice was shaking, as if she was about to cry, but knew she shouldn't.

"Calm down." the man said. "You think you have the nerve to tell me, to calm down?"

"I..."

"Girl, I am gonna slap some sence into you! Don't you dare talk to me that way!"

There was a loud rustling, as if some stuff was being knocked down, and a frightened scream from the girl.

"GET BACK HERE GIRL!" the voice said, and it sounded like he was chasing her around. In the room that was the kitchen, there was a loud clanging, as if a bunch of pots and pans had been knocked down. There was a muffled cry.  
"Get away from me.." The girls voice calmly said, trying as hard as she could to sound soothing.

"Girl, you are going to get it now!" the voice. There was another sound as if things were being knocked over, and then a loud scream of pain.

There was silence, only broken by a crying that could be heard from inside the room.

"Now honey." the man's voice said, calm now, as if satified. "I want you to go into town now, and bring back some things so you can cook me another dinner, I want to eat before ten."

There was no responce heard by the girl, but the door opened and she limped out of the house. Her right leg and arm badly bleeding from deep cuts, just freshly made. She looked back once at the door, as her dad appeared.

"And when your done with dinner, I want you to clean this house, understand?"

The girl only nodded in responce, and began to go down the path that led to the village.

After a little while, when she was out of sight of her father, the girl left the main path, and followed a small path that winded around through the trees. She clearly looked as if she knew where she was going for she forgot about the pain in her leg, and began to run, following every twist and turn by heart. After a while, she reached her destination; a tall tree in the forest, that shadowed upon all the others. She glanced around and found a rope ladder that hung down, and began to climb it, untill she reached what she was aiming for, a house built in the tree, but completely hidden from the ground. She stepped upon the small porch and wobbled over to the door, and quietly knocked on it.

"Haku... Haku...are you there?" she whispered, clutching her arm. She suddenly felt nautious, and fell against the door, moaning. The door swung open, reveiling Haku. His hair was down, and he looked tired, as if he had just woken up. The girl fell into the room, and snapping awake, Haku caught her.  
"Kiara... Kiara, what happened!" Haku asked her. She lifted her head and looked up at him, with tears in her eyes.

"I made dad mad again.." she said quietly, she moaned. "I don't feel good Haku..."

He looked around, and spotted a couch, and quickly picked her up and placed in upon the couch. He looked at her. Her cuts on her arm and leg were still bleeding pretty badly, and her clothes were soaked in the red liquid. Haku quickly took out some medical supplies that he kept handy in the small one-room house in which he lived.

"Kiara, you really need to do something when he gets like that..." Haku said softly, applying pressure to her wounds, so the bleeding would stop.

Kiara sniffed. "I can't Haku..." she said. "No matter what I'd do, then I'd just make him more mad than before... I just have to sit there and let him do as he feels like doing or It'll just get worse.."

Haku sighed. This was not the first time this had happened, but it was certainly the first time he had acctually hurt her more than hitting her. He was about to ask what had happened when Kiara started to talk again.

"I threw away his dinner... he said he was done, and that he was going to bed... but less than an hour later, he was back up again and said that he hadn't finished. I offered to cook him something else, but he said that he didn't want it and went after me... I tryed to get away, but he cornered me in the kitchen..." she stopped, as a tear fell down her cheek. "H-he took the knife.. and came after me... He was going to kill me, but I curled into a ball.. and he stabed my arm and leg insted of my chest..."

Haku nodded, listening, and removed the cloth from the wound, to see that the one on her arm had stopped bleeding. He took some bandage so that he could wrap it up, and waited quietly for her to continue, if she wanted too, and she did.

"And then he snapped back to normal, like he did when he got mad, and started talking calmly, as if nothing had happened but a little quarrel. He told me to go into town and get dinner, and then to clean after I cooked... but I didn't think I'd make it to town.. so I came here.."

Haku nodded, as her wrapped up her arm tightly, but not too tight. He removed the cloth from the wound on her leg and started to do the same thing to that wound. It was silent for a few moments, untill Haku was done.  
"There." he said. "Don't move too much, or you'll re-open the wounds..."

Kiara nodded. "I'm sorry about this Haku..." she said. "I don't want to drag you into my problems, I shouldn't ha-"

"Shhh." Haku said softly. "Don't say that Kiara. I care about you, and whenever you need someone to help you, I'm there for you." He smiled softly and

She smiled. "Thank you Haku." she said, then quietly said. "I am so glad I have you.."

Haku smiled again and began to put the medical supplies away. He pulled up a seat next to Kiara and looked at her.

"You better stay here tonight." he said, concern in his voice.

"But.. what about.." She started.

"Your father can wait Kiara, we can take care of him together when the time comes, but untill you can safely move around, your not leaving! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let you leave and... and... well if something happened again.."

There was a silence that seemed to last for an hour, but was really only five minutes. The breeze caused the tree house to sway slightly, but in a soothing way. It was sort of like a mother rocking her child ever so gently. The distant roll of thunder sounded, signalling that a storm was on its way.  
"Haku..." Kiara almost whispered.

"Yes?" he answered.  
"Thank you... for this... and for everything else you've done for me..."

"Its nothing Kiara." he said, then stood up. "Are you hungry?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "I haven't eaten anything but a cup of ramen for two days..." she said.

He nodded and quickly began to look through the cabnets.

"I don't have all that much right now..." he said. "All I have is more ramen.. some rice cakes I was saving... and.."

"Rice cakes sound good.." Kiara said.

Haku nodded. "OK.." he said, retrieving the rice cakes from the cabnet. He turned around and Kiara was attemping to get up by herself. He set the rice cakes down and rushed over.

"Be careful!" he said gently, but a sence of demand in his voice. She nodded, and leaned unto the back of the couch, sighing. Haku went over and got the food, then returned, handing her one to eat with her good hand.

She ate quickly, but quietly, staring at her lap in deep thought. When she finished she sighed, and looked up.

"Thats all I need." she said. "I don't need to eat that much..."

Haku looked at her, knowing that she was lieing. He had gotten to know her well enough to know that she could eat a horse if she wanted too, but he guessed she was only going to eat as much as she needed until she felt better.

Kiara slowly, carefully, laid back down on the couch.

"I'm gonna go to sleep..." she said, Haku nodded, taking the blanket he was using earlier, and put it over her. Then he sat back down in the chair, and watched Kiara untill her breathing became slower, and he knew she was asleep. By then, the slight patter of rain fell upon the roof of the little hut, and thunder rolled outside. But Haku paid no mind. He stood up and put away the food. He wondered over to a counter and tied his hair back once again. And with a quick glance over at Kiara's sleeping form, opened the door and stepped out into the rain.


	2. Chapter 2

Hurting

By: Kiara Adachi

Chapter 2: Freedom

A/N: KK, I got obsessed with this story, and wrote this from 11:30 p.m. (when Naruto was over) till 2:00 a.m., editing out the mistakes, smoothing out parts that seemed too sharp, and things like that. So I hope you like it...

An another note; This chapter is less real to me than the one before it, for I have never really slipped into a point of insane madness like this. (You'll see what I'm talking about)

Kiara groaned and turned over. She saw the light of the sun through her eyelids, and moaned. Then her mind began to run.

'I'm supposed to be cooking!' she thought, springing up in bed. A sharp pain shot through her arm and with a small scream, she fell back. She remembering the events of the night before.

As the light shone through the window and hit her face, she breathed in the fresh air. She felt another sharp pain in her arm, and glanced at it. Fresh crimson blood seeped through the bandages that Haku had wrapped her arm in. She figured she had re-opened the wound when she had sat up.

"Haku..." she said, but got no answer. She turned her head and looked around the room, but there was no Haku to be found.

She sighed and forced herself to sit up, and she looked towards the place were Haku kept his medical supplies.

"I'll just have to do it myself." she said, wobbly standing up, and leaning upon anything that could support the weight of her hurt leg. Slowly, but surely, she crossed the room to the spot, and took out the medical kit. Then she carefully sat down; her good leg under her, and the other out to the side.

She reached into the kit and got the medical wrap. She then attempted to unwrap the old bandage off her arm, and eventually succeeded. But when she did, the blood began to run down her arm. She began to reach for a cloth, and to stop the bleeding, but froze. Her eyes wondered back into the blood, and she watched in run down her arm, and drip upon the floor. And for a while, she just sat there, staring, captivated, but the glistening crimson lake, and the river that flowed down her arm, ever so freely, into it.

Free. That was a confusing word to her. She wondered what it felt like to be **_free._** She could barely remember when she had once been free, but even the few memories she had, where very distant. For her freedom had been taken from her, that one night, when she was only four.

(Here comes a flashback)

One that tragic night, her father had gotten drunk, perhaps on sake, or something along those lines. But nonetheless, he had drunken too much, and her mother had just happened to make him angry. In a mad rage, he her mother's vase, took one of the shards, and went after her. Her mother screamed to Kiara to escape, and she had ran into her room, and closed the door, hiding under the covers of her bed.

But the mangled screams were still imprinted into her mind. The horror she had felt when she heard it all. But what seemed like an eternity, was only about a minute or two. And then, her mother had stopped screaming, and even Kiara's four-year-old mind knew what had happened; her mother was gone.

Then she waited, tears running quickly down her cheeks, until her father came into the room. He acted as if nothing had really happened, and told her to grab her clothes, so they could go on a "trip" She was taken from her old home, and they moved to the house they lived in now.

After that night, she was no longer his daughter. She was a witness. And the only reason to have her around anymore, was to have her be his slave. And thus she was no longer his daughter, she was only "girl" And no longer did she even once think of him as a father.

(End of the Flashback)

How she wanted freedom to come to her. But the freedom she wanted was different from the freedom this crimson river had obtained. For no matter how freely the blood was to run, it would always follow the same path, and land in the pool.

But she wanted to be as free as possible. She didn't want the earthly things to hold her back, as they did the river of blood. But then an idea hit her;

If the only thing holding her back was the worldly forces, that caused the pain within her soul. Then wouldn't it seem to be that the only way to be free from those things, be to free ones self from this world entirely?

This idea seemed perfectly logical to Kiara, she would have to find a way... to free herself from this world. She blinked, and once again, focused her eyes upon the crimson river, and then knew; If she allowed the river to gain freedom, then maybe it could help her gain the freedom she wanted. He eyes wondered up to the cut, where blood was coming from. The wound was open, true, but it was only a tiny part of it that had been opened. She would have to finish the job, and then she could gain her freedom.

Quickly, and hardly thinking anymore, she reached into the medical kit, and found a pair of scissors. They were sharp, and looked like they were hardly ever used. And so she decided to use them. She opened them up, and placed one of the open sides unto the top part of the cut, and began to run it down the already made line. She sickly smiled as the river of blood began to become a flood from her arm. She watched the pool grow larger, but she didn't feel like any freedom was coming to her.

'Its not enough.' she thought, picking up the scissors once again. She placed the edge once again on her arm, but this time, on her skin that wasn't cut, under her elbow.(the first cut was on the top part of her arm)

At this point, she half heard the door swing open. Behind her came a gasp, and the sound of something being dropped. But she did not turn, and pressed the scissors down into her skin, forcing another river of the crimson liquid to begin to flow. She began to drag the scissors down her arm, making another cut, but before she got too far down her arm, she felt something restrain her arm, and the scissors were snatched away from her.

She looked up, frightened, to see Haku there. One of his hands held her good arm, and the other, the scissors.

"Kiara, what are you doing?" He demanded. But even though his demand was clear, his voice held its usual gentleness.

She looked at him blankly. Her eyes had long since glazed over, and she was smiling as if she was happy.

"Freeing myself." she stated blankly.

Haku cringed at the soft tone of her voice. It didn't seem like Kiara at all. The look on her face though, was perhaps the most frightening. She looked so content, like a child playing with their favorite toy.

"Give it back." she said, breaking Haku's thoughts.

"Huh?"

She nodded towards the scissors in her hand, but then stopped. Her eyelids seemed to droop, and her smile grew sicker, and happier at the same time.

"I'm almost there." she said, now a little drowsy.

Haku bit his lip.  
"Kiara, I have to stop this." he said, he through the scissors across the room, out of her reach, and let go of her arm. "Hold still." He reached into the box, and took out some medical wrap, and then came back, and reached out to Kiara. But she flinched like a frightened animal, and scooted back.

"No." she said

"Kia--"

"I said no!"

Haku sighed and his mind raced. She obviously wasn't going to allow him to help her. Then he figured out a solution. He pulled out a senbon and sighed.  
"I'm sorry Kiara." he said. He threw it, and it hit her neck. Her eyes widened, but then dropped again, and closed, as she fell into the ground, into the pool of her own blood. He quickly grabbed the supplies he needed and worked to stop the bleeding, staining his own clothes in the process, while he worked, silent tears rolled off his cheeks and mixed with the blood.

After a while, he finally stopped it, and had her wrapped up, and her skin cleaned off. He laid her back on the couch and cleaned up the mess. And then, sadly sat next to her in the chair, and removed his senbon from her neck. She began to breathe again, and her pulse returned, but he guessed it would be a while before she could regain consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

Hurting

By: Kiara Adachi

Chapter 3: Promise

A/N: OK, now you've seen nothing but depression in this story, but now I think Its time to bring in some light. So here you go!

Four days later...

It was about midday now, but no sun shone through the window. Clouds blanketed the sky, signaling that it was going to rain again soon. Kiara still hadn't woken up, but was now restless in her sleep, signaling that she would awaken soon. Haku though, had stayed up as long as he could, but had been forced asleep earlier that day, on the chair where he had been almost constantly sitting. But he yawned and tried to roll over, and ended up falling off the chair.

He shot up on the floor, startled, but then calmed down. Rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, he walked over to the cabnet and pulled out a bag of chips and began to eat them, returning to his chair. He heard a noise from the direction Kiara was, and whipped around. She was turned away from him, and he heard the noise again. It sounded like Kiara... was crying..

"Kiara?" he whispered, but she didn't answer. But once again, he heard her sob. He approched her on the couch, and looked at her face. Tears were indeed running down her cheeks... and she was sobbing, but.. she was still asleep. He put his hand on her shoulder, and shook her lightly.

"Kiara.." he whispered again. "Kiara... wake up..."

She sniffed and her eyes slowly opened. She sniffed and looked up at him, tears still running down her cheeks. She said nothing, and turned her head back, staring at the back of the couch. She didn't know why, but she couldn't look at Haku, she felt asshamed, embarrased, that she had become so desprite. She was back to thinking strait, unlike before.

Haku frowned slightly, looking down at her.

"Kiara, talk to me..." he said.

She hesitated a moment, and then looked back up at him. There was so much worry shown upon his kind face, it made her feel sick to her stomach. Another set of tears fell down her cheeks, and she began to cry again, harder than before, with load sobs.

"Kiara... please stop.." Haku told her.

"Ha-haku, it hu-rts so much." she said, between sobs. "I wa-want it to stop!"

Haku sighed, and carefully sat on the edge of the couch. He took his hand, and brushed her hair out of her face, and wiped the tears that were falling.

"Kiara, your the only one that can stop it.." he said.

"Help me!"

"I can't..."

"Why not?"

"I... I just..--" he stopped, and watched as Kiara shakily sat up on the couch.

"Why Haku?"  
"I.. don't know.."

"I can't do it alone Haku... I need someone to help me, I need saved!"

"From what Kiara?"

"Myself!" she said, sobbing again.

Haku bit his lip. It pained him so much to see her like this. Her tears were dripping down her cheeks, and landing on the blanket that was covering her lower body.

"I n-need you to be there f-for me Haku! You were there for me b-before, don't leave me now!" She stopped and sobbed a few times, sniffing. She looked at Haku, and then let out a tormented cry, latching on to him tightly.

"Please Haku. Please be there for me... your all I've got..." she said.

Haku stiffened in shock when she hugged him, but then smiled sadly, but happily at the same time. She brushed her cheek lightly with his finger, and then hugged her back.

"Kiara. I'll do what I have too, I promise." he said. "I wont leave you... don't worry."

For a short second Kiara's sobbing ceased, and she lifted her head up, as her gaze met his. And she could see that he ment what he said. Some of the sadness left her heart, mind and soul, and she felt happiness replace it. It was only a little, but still.

A small smile crossed her lips, and more tears came to her eyes. She burried her face in his chest, and cried more. But the tears of sadness were also accompanied with tears on joy. A few long moments passed.

"Kiara..." Haku whispered, breaking the silence. She lifted her head up a little.

"What?"

"I'm always going to be here for you, but I want you to promise me something."

"What is it?"

"Try and be here for me too... " he looked at her, and continued. "Because you Kiara, are all I've got, in this whole world. And without you, I wouldn't have anything to live for.."

Kiara smiled, no longer crying. While she had long since noticed that he was all that she had, she had never really considered that it was the same way to him. But now she realized it; Haku needed her, as much as she needed him. And as long as this fact remained, they would have to be there for each other. And eventually they would free her, but it wouldn't be the easy way out, like she had tried before.

"Yes." she said. "I promise Haku... always.." With that she leaned against his chest again.

Haku smiled gently, her cautiously put his arms all the way around her, bringing her closer to him. Kiara let out a content sigh, as she shifted into a comfortable postion in his arms.

"Kiara..." he whispered.

"Mmmm Hmmmm."

"I love you.." He whispered, kissing her softly on her forehead. Kiara smiled, and cuddled closer to him. There was a short silence, and then it was broken.

"I love you too Haku." she said. "And... I'm sorry.."

There was no more words spoken, and within minutes, Kiara had fallen asleep again. Haku, exhausted from the past few days. He leaned back, against the arm of the couch, carefully bringing Kiara down with him. He brought the blanket that Kiara had been using, and brought it over both of them.

And they slept the afternoon away...


	4. Chapter 4

Hurting

By: Kiara Adachi

Chapter 4: Broken

OK, I am going to be skipping around a little bit in this chapter. Well, I'm gonna speed up time a few times, but not that much.

And thanks to my good friend Eskin for helping me think of this chapter...

Three days later...

It was now a week today since Kiara had shown up at Haku's door needing his help. By now, the wound on her leg had healed enough for her to be able to walk around. Slow, but she could walk. But she still hadn't left the house, and it was starting to get annoying...

"Haku, I'm bored!" she whined, leaning back on the couch. The bandage on her leg was gone, and there was a small cut left, but nothing serious enough to have to wrap up. The rest on the old cut, has turned into a scar. She looked over at Haku, who was cleaning everything up from their last meal.

Haku sighed, and finished what he was doing, then plopped down beside her on the couch.

"I guess..." he said. "That you're well enough to leave... want to take a walk or something?"

"Finally!" she exclaimed, standing up, "Lets go then!"

Haku nodded and stood up too. And within a few minutes, they had left...

About ten minutes later...

Kiara sighed and stretched her good arm up into the air. The other arm was now in a sling, for it has still not healed very well, and still hurt if it was moved. Her and Haku were on one of the many forest paths that twisted and turned through the dense forest.

"Haku, do you think that we could maybe go into town?"

"I don't see why not." he answered.

She smiled, and grabbed his hand, leading him through the paths that she knew so well, untill they finally reached the outer gate of the town. The guards at the gates, who knew both of them fairly well, waved as they went through. They both waved back, and entered the village of Kiri, and began to walk down the main road that went through the town. There were stores of all kinds lining the streets. Haku stopped, and turned towards one of the food stores.

"I think I'll buy some stuff for us to eat." he said. "We're running low. You gonna come?"

Kiara thought, but shook her head. "No, you go ahead, I'll wait out here. I want to enjoy being outside while I still can."

Haku hesitated for a second, but nodded, and went into the store, the door closing behind him

Kiara leaned against the wall of the store, but soon got bored, and wondered over to a little stand down the street, where someone was selling jewelry and other hand-made objects. She began to look around, wondering farther and farther away from the store Haku was in. Untill she could no longer even see it.

There was a loud noise from her right, and Kiara flinched, turning to see a bar. But it wasn't just that; it was the same bar her father always went into. And she swore she heard his voice yelling inside. He was probably in another fight. And then, as if on cue, the doors flew open and two very large men tossed her father out. He landed with a "thump" on the street, and then, still with the sake bottle in is hand, he stood up and looked at the door.

"Fine." he said wobbly, obiously drunk. "I'll go somewhere else." He hiccuped and turned around. His eyes wondering the streets, and falling right on Kiara.

She hoped with all her heart that he was too drunk to reconize her. But that wasn't the case. His eyes glazed over, and she could tell that he reconized her. He began to step towards her. Two other men, that Kiara knew were his friends came out of the bar too.

"Look who it is.." one of them said, smirking at Kiara.

"I guess she didn't die." her dad said, as all three of them began to walk towards her. She looked at them frightened, like a deer stuck in headlights, but didn't move. Soon they were standing next to her. Her dad in the front, and the other two behind him.

"What are you doing here girl?" he asked. "You thought that you could just get away from me, didn't you." An evil smile crossed his lips.

Kiara didn't respond. Her eyes darted around, and she realized she was too far away from the store... Haku probably didn't even know she had left. She looked around quickly. There was nothing behind her, but with her leg... would she be able to outrun them? She thought only but a second and decided she'd have to try. She took a step back, and with a quick motion, she began to run.

Thankfully, the men were all drunk, and could barely chase after her. But with her leg hurt as bad as it was, they were still catching up to her. She stopped and turned down an alley, hoping to lose them, but sadly found herself at a dead end. She gasped and swung around to see her father and his friends coming towards her. She could see the burning rage in her father's eyes.

Her father motioned for his friends to stop following, and they froze, but he kept walking towards her, holding the sake bottle in his hand. He lifted it up as he came, and Kiara slid down the wall unto the ground, staring in fear at him. Soon he stood right in front of her. The bottle held above his head.

"Girl, I'm sick of you messing with me." he said. "Bye-bye."

Kiara snapped her eyes shut, and waited for the pain to come. Suddenly she felt a breeze, as if something had rushed by. She felt as if something grabbed her. The crash she was waiting for came, but she felt no pain. She opened her eyes, an saw someone else there. It was... Haku.

He had rushed in just in time, and only had enough time to act as a shield for Kiara. The bottle had hit him right on the crown of his head, and blood was running from the cuts that the bottle had made. His face was turned toward her, and her eyes were closed. He opened them, and then looked down at Kiara.

"Sorry I was late." he said softly. Then he moaned and then his eyes closed again, then his body fell limp and fell beside Kiara.

"Saved by your little boyfriend." Her dad said mockingly. He began to laugh drunkly. Kiara looked up at him, and began to stand up.

"Dad..." she said. "You can do whatever you need to do to me, but now." she looked down at Haku, bleeding and badly hurt. "Now, you have gone too far!"


	5. Chapter 5

Hurting

By: Kiara Adachi

Chapter 5: Crying Wishes

Kiara stared at her father coldly. The anger almost glowing in her light blue eyes. He looked at her questioningly. He had never seen her like this, angry. She was supposed to cower below him, do as she was told, be there for him to push around and do what he wanted to her. But now, he could see, that she was no longer that person.

He smirked, and slowly reached down towards the shards of the sake bottle, preparing to pick one up. But as he did, Kiara's foot crushed down on his hand, causing his to stab himself with the shard of broken glass. He screamed in pain, and jumped up, clutching his hand as if he was gonna die from the small cut. Kiara smiled, making it clear that she was not going to put up with him anymore.

Her father recoiled back and growled at her. And they stood there, in silence for a little while. Suddenly Kiara's father lunged at her, and pushed her back into the wall, knocking the wind out of her. She fell to the ground in shock, gasping for her breath. Her father then kicked her in the stomach, causing her to cough up blood. No matter how much anger she had, she realized, she didn't have the experience fighting like her father did. He got in fights all the time, sometimes every other day.

She glared up at him, breathing heavily, and stood up again, much to her father's surprise.

"Your tougher than I thought." he said. "But give up, you can't win."

Kiara didn't respond. She stared at him colder than before, and then spat at him. This made him really mad. He lunged at Kiara again, and smacked her across her face, hard. She flew into the wall again, but this time, her bad arm was crushed in between the wall, and her body. She screamed in pain and a "snap" was heard. She fell down unto the ground, on top of Haku.

Her father kicked her in the side, and she screamed again. But he bent down, and covered her mouth.

"Listen girl." he said. "I won't kill you. Just come home again, and this time, your not allowed to leave the house." She opened one eye and looked at him.

"Never." she responded.

"What?" her father yelled, outraged.

She moaned and began to get up, rolling off of Haku.  
"I said NEVER." she said again, a smirk on her face. Behind her back she held one of Haku's senbon, which she had taken from him a few seconds before.

Her father looked at her, his eyes swirling with rage. He stepped back, and looked at her, as if he didn't know what to do. But then he look a step forward once again, and lunged at her. Kiara smirked, and pulled the senbon out. She had no idea where most of the vital points were, like Haku did, but she did know one of them; the heart.

With a quick motion, she lifted the senbon up, using her good arm, and thrust it into his chest. His eyes widened and he froze in his tracks. Kiara smirked, and pushed the senbon as hard as she could into him, and then stepped aside. He wobbled back and forth, and then coughed. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell, colliding with the wall he had hit Kiara unto so many times. She bent down and looked for a pulse, but found none. He was gone.

She looked down the alley at her dad's two friends. They looked at her in fear, and she smirked and stepped towards her.

"You think she's a demon?" one of them whispered to the other.

"No, I don't think so... she just got lucky."

"Lets get out of here... she scares me anyway..."

"Right behind you!"

And with that, they turned and fled.

Kiara's smirk faded and she turned around. She looked at her father, dead. Blood was all around him, spilling from his chest. With a quick motion Kiara kicked him into the wall, causing the blood to splash unto her. But she didn't care.

She turned then to Haku, and knelt down beside him. His head had already stopped bleeding, but he was still unconious. She shook his shoulder.

"Haku, wake up.." she said. "Haku! Please, wake up!"

He didn't stir and Kiara felt sick to her stomach.

'What if he has a concussion?' she worried. 'What if he...'

She shook her head, trying to get those thoughts out of her head. She used her good arm to sit Haku up, against the wall. She bit her lip, as she stared at his pale face. He was hurt... and it was all her fault. A tear fell down her cheek, and landed on the ground.

"Haku! Please wake up!" she said, beginning to cry harder when he didn't move.

"I shouldn't have ever dragged you into this!" she said. "Now your hurt, and its all my fault." She stopped and sobbed. "I'm sorry... Haku, you have to wake up!" She buried her face in his chest, sobbing.

"Just wake up..." she said. "Please! I don't want to be alone."

Just then Haku moaned, and he began to awaken. Kiara looked up at him.

"Haku? HAKU? Are you OK?" she asked, as he opened his eyes up, and looked slowly at Kiara, blinking. He saw the tears in her eyes and looked worried.

"Whats wrong?" he asked her.

Kiara smiled, and then hugged him tightly, burrying her face in his chest again.

"Nothing! Everything is fine now." she said. Haku frowned, and looked around, spotting her dead father. He decided though, that it wouldn't be best to ask now. He looked down at her, and saw that her arm was bleeding again, but it didn't seem to hurt her too bad, as she cried.

"I'm sorry Haku!" she said. "This is all my fault!" she said, looking up at him.

Haku shook his head.

"No its not Kiara, I made a promise, and I kept it." he said. "I am not going to let you get hurt anymore. Kiara looked at him, and blinked, not knowing what to say. He had promised her that he'd be there for her, but she didn't want him to end up getting hurt...

He looked down at her confused expression, and gazed into her light blue eyes. He no longer saw the sadness she had held within her eyes before. But he knew it would be a while before she would be free. But she was closer than she had been before, much closer.

With a sudden motion, he came down and kissed her upon her lips lovingly. He wanted her to understand that he was serious about never leaving her. But most of all, he wanted to show her that he truely loved her, and that he would be there forever, even after she was free.

Kiara stiffened in shock, not expecting him to kiss her so suddenly. But she quickly relaxed, as she felt an extreme sence of warmth flow throughout her body. She kissed him back just as lovingly as he was kissing her. He was there for her, and now, somehow, she could feel that he always would be.

When the two finally broke away from each other, both blushing slightly. Haku smiled and whispered to her.

"I love you." he said. Kiara smiled too.

"I love you too." she said, cuddling against him.

"Kiara?"

"Yes Haku?"

"I think we should go home." he said, looking up at the sky. It was getting dark.

Kiara smiled at the word "home" but in her heart she felt now that Haku's home, was her home.  
"Good idea." she said, as she stood up slowly, and Haku did the same. Haku grabbed Kiara's hand, and together, they made their way back to their cozy little home in a tree.


End file.
